This invention relates in general to golf equipment and, more particularly, to a golf bag with a cam actuated support stand and a detachable body.
Golf bags are normally provided with a shoulder strap by which a golfer carries the bag between golf shots and, when arriving at the spot where another shot is to be made, the bag is removed from the golfers shoulder and set on the ground in a generally upright position while a club is selected for the next shot. When the club selection has been made, the golfer lays the bag flat on the ground unless the bag is equipped with some type of stand that holds the bag in a propped-up position. Stands for that purpose have become very popular and many different types have been used.
One type of prior golf bag stand includes a pair of legs that are pivotally mounted for cooperating with an elongated rod depending from the legs to an actuator device located at the bottom of the bag. The legs are moved to an extended position when the actuator device is brought into contact with the ground. An elastic band is used to urge the legs into a retracted position when the bag is lifted off of the ground. A stand of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,350 to S Maeng. Another type of prior golf bag stand also includes a pair of legs pivotally mounted for movement between extended and retracted positions. The lower ends of a shoulder strap used for carrying the bag are attached to the legs so that when the bag is lifted by the shoulder strap, the legs will be pulled to the retracted position. Elastic straps are used to move the legs into the extended position when the bag is set on the ground and the shoulder strap is released. This type of stand is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,136 to E. Reimers.
A further golf bag stand disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,235 to J. A. Solheim et al is provided with a pair of legs pivotally mounted at their upper ends and an actuator rod which is connected to the legs below their upper ends. The legs and actuator rod operate as a toggle mechanism moving the legs between extended and retracted positions. The golf bag is configured so that a longitudinally extending side of its body is partially collapsible. The operating force which moves the legs and the actuating rod in the manner of a toggle mechanism to extend the legs will automatically occur when a partial collapsing of the golf bag body takes place upon setting the body down in a vertical position and leaning it over slightly in the direction of its collapsible side. The legs will be moved to the retracted position when the body is picked up and the collapsible side is restored to its normal state. This golf bag stand has proven to be very reliable and is commercially successful.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,964 to S. Hagiwara discloses another golf bag stand having a pair of legs pivotally mounted on opposite ends of a block which is attached by a strap. Each leg has an extension that is connected thereto below its the pivot mounting on the block. A handgrip is supported between upper ends of the extensions, and springs urge the extensions apart thereby biasing the legs into retracted positions. The legs may be extended by squeezing the grip against the top rim of the golf bag.